‘Only Handful Of Issues Left’: US Envoy Says India Trade Deal Will Be Completed Soon

The United States and India are close to finalising a bilateral trade agreement, with only a handful of issues remaining, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said, adding that negotiators are now focused on finalising the legal language before the deal is signed.

In an exclusive interview with IANS at the White House, Gor expressed confidence that the agreement could be concluded within the next few weeks or months, describing the pace of negotiations as significantly faster than many other major trade agreements.

“A lot of it now is the language that has to be written,” Gor said, referring to the remaining work. “I was in those meetings just 48 hours ago with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer in Delhi, where we met Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. It was a very productive meeting.”

“There are only a handful of issues left. Much of the work now involves finalising the language that both sides will ultimately sign. We’re confident that over the next few weeks or months, the agreement will be completed,” he added.

‘Talks Moving At An Exceptional Pace’

Gor urged observers to view the negotiations in perspective, noting that the proposed India-US trade pact has been under discussion for only about 18 months.

“We’ve been working on this deal for a year and a half. Compare that with the European Union trade deal, which has been under negotiation for nearly 20 years and is still not complete. People ask why it’s taking time, but we’re actually on an incredible trajectory,” he said.

While declining to reveal details of the proposed agreement, Gor said both governments were working towards an outcome that would benefit both countries.

“When both sides find common ground and identify areas that serve their mutual interests, that’s when a deal happens. You’ll have to wait and see the final outcome,” he said.

Trump Keen To Visit India

The US Ambassador also indicated that President Donald Trump remains keen to visit India following his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in France.

“I don’t have exact dates yet, but I was with the President for several hours in the Oval Office, and one of the things he asked was, ‘So when am I coming?’ He’s very eager to visit India. Prime Minister Modi has invited him, and I believe that visit will happen at some point,” Gor said.

Although he did not provide a timeline, citing the US midterm election schedule, Gor said India remains among President Trump’s foreign policy priorities.

“The President has a very busy domestic schedule because of the midterms, but India is certainly high on the list of countries he wants to visit,” he said.

‘Trump-Modi Relationship Remains Strong’

Gor also dismissed speculation about any strain in India-US ties, saying the personal rapport between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi continues to anchor the bilateral relationship.

“I think we’re in a very good place. One of the strongest pillars of this partnership is the relationship between the President and the Prime Minister. They’ve been great friends for years, and that friendship will continue in the years ahead,” he said.

India and the United States are currently negotiating the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement aimed at expanding market access, lowering tariff barriers and strengthening economic cooperation. Both governments have identified the pact as a priority, with plans to conclude an initial agreement before moving towards a broader trade framework.

Trade has become one of the fastest-growing pillars of the India-US strategic partnership, which also encompasses defence, technology, critical and emerging technologies, energy, education and people-to-people ties.